Poem

In honor of National Poetry month, NHPR's Sean Hurley is introducing us to a New Hampshire poet every Friday. Today we hear from Jennifer Militello. The Goffstown native has recently published her second book of poetry - "Body Thesaurus."

While her relatives gathered for coffee in her grandmother's kitchen, 9 year old Jennifer Militello would sneak off into a back room to read aloud from the two books she found there. A heavy collection of Edgar Allen Poe and a slimmer volume of Emily Dickinson.

Robert Frost recited "The Gift Outright" at John F. Kennedy's swearing in in 1961 and became the first ever Inaugural Poet. Since then, there have been only 4 others asked to honor the occasion with a poem. With “One Today” Richard Blanco (pronounced Blonko) became the first immigrant, the first Latino, the first openly gay person - as well as the youngest - to write a poem for the transfer of power. Fitting then that Blanco should be invited to read at Frost Farm in Derry, home of the nation’s first Inaugural Poet.